A Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]-led industry team reached a key milestone with the "light off" of the ship service diesel generators onboard the nation's third Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Fort Worth.

The generator light off signifies the ship is capable of creating its own power and this milestone included the successful light off of the ship's four 750-kilowatt Fincantieri IsottaFraschini diesel generators. Fort Worth will undergo a series of light offs in coming months in preparation for sea trials, scheduled for later this year. During this time, the Lockheed Martin team will continue its dock-side testing of the ship's systems at Marinette Marine. Fort Worth will be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2012.

"The generator light off is an important milestone in preparing Fort Worth to complete testing and set sail, bringing us one step closer to delivering the Navy its next ship in this class," said Joe North, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Littoral Ship Systems business. "Throughout this process, the team has remained focused on building on our experience while remaining on schedule and on budget."

The Lockheed Martin industry team designed and constructed the nation's first LCS, USS Freedom, which has sailed more than 50,000 nautical miles and demonstrated its capabilities since its commissioning in 2008. Based in its homeport of San Diego, Calif., the ship completed a highly successful maiden deployment in 2010 and is now fully integrated into the fleet.

In addition to Marinette Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, the Lockheed Martin-led team for LCS 3 includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox as well as best-of-industry domestic and international companies.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

The Lockheed Martin-led Littoral Combat Ship team recently achieved a key milestone onboard the Fort Worth, the nation’s third LCS, with the “light off” of the ship’s four diesel generators.